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On 30 June 2017, 17 employees from the Thales Campus in Bordeaux came together to develop the scenario for a video to advocate for children’s education in Mali. Here is the result of Thales’s collaboration with Association Solidarité Développement Samako (A.S.D.S)

This June, some enthusiastic and motivated employees offered their skills and ideas to help a 2016 Thales Foundation project during a pro bono marathon. The project, sponsored by Adama Diarra, a Thales employee and coordinator of ASDS, resulted in the construction of a science and learning centre in Samako, Mali.

Building on this experience, the association wanted to convince families in the village to send their children, and particularly their girls, to school. The issue is an important one, as fewer than 50% of children go to school in the village, where labour needs and traditions take priority over education.

With that in mind, employees brainstormed about the best arguments to address the problem and encourage families to send their children to school. With each person’s contributions, the association was able to develop a scenario, film sequences and write a script. Their collaboration resulted in the production of a video, which you can watch by clicking on the link below.

During a visit to Mali last December, Adama Diarra participated in a radio programme heard by the village’s 4,000 residents and broadcast from a neighbouring town. He explained the importance of education, particularly for the girls in the village, and had the video’s message translated. The video was then shown to village families, from one person to the next. The chief was moved by the association’s efforts to support the children in his village, and the children featured in the video were thrilled to see themselves on screen!